Curbs on panchayat powers in Bengal
West Bengal’s government moved birth-and-death registration roles from gram panchayat pradhans to government officers and transferred cheque-signing/disbursement powers under the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment), 2026.
- Birth and death registration is civil record-keeping that must verify facts for certificates.
- West Bengal shifted registrar-linked birth and death responsibilities away from gram panchayat pradhans and municipal chairpersons.
- Special intensive revision is described as removing about 12% of voters from electoral rolls.
- Cheque-signing and disbursing funds are financial discharge functions tied to release of local money.
West Bengal’s Suvendu Adhikari government restricted elected local leaders’ roles by shifting birth-and-death registration responsibilities and transferring certain financial discharge powers at gram panchayat level to government officers.
In late July 2026, West Bengal issued a notification removing gram panchayat pradhans and municipal chairpersons from the registrar role for birth and death registrations. Dedicated government officers were assigned record-keeping and workflow responsibilities.
West Bengal’s Legislative Assembly passed the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment), 2026, which moved financial discharge powers—such as cheque-signing and disbursement—from gram panchayat pradhans to panchayat secretaries, executive assistants, and block development officers.
UPSC can use West Bengal’s 2026 notification and the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment), 2026 to discuss how States adjust devolution under Panchayati Raj when they believe integrity risks are high in local public service delivery.
Related dispatches
